Alto Saxophone

The saxophone is a member of the woodwind family even though it is made almost entirely of metal. The sound is produced by a vibrating single reed which is the same sound producing method as a clarinet. The clarinet and saxophone are similar in many ways. Many beginning students may not have a willingness to pay the higher price of a saxophone. Others may not have hands large enough to fit around the saxophone keys. Those students may start with a clarinet and switch to the saxophone at a later date.

Listen to the Saxophone

The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by the Belgian instrument designer in 1841 Adolphe Sax. The alto, with the tenor, is the most common size of saxophone. It is larger than the soprano, smaller than the tenor, and is the size most used in classical compositions.

The alto saxophone is a transposing instrument and reads the treble clef in the key of E♭. A written C for the alto sounds as the concert E♭ a major sixth lower.
The range of the alto saxophone is from concert D♭3 (the D♭ below middle C - see [Scientific pitch notation] to concert A♭5 (or A5 on altos with a high F♯ key). As with most types of saxophones, the standard written range is B♭3 to F6 (or F♯6). Above that, the altissimo register begins at F♯ and extends upwards. The saxophone's altissimo register is more difficult to control than that of other woodwinds and is usually only expected from advanced players.

Notable alto saxophonists include jazz musicians Charlie Parker, Johnny Hodges, Cannonball Adderley, Lee Konitz, Eric Dolphy, David Sanborn, Ornette Coleman, Anthony Braxton, Phil Woods, and Paul Desmond, and classical musicians Marcel Mule, Sigurd Raschèr, and Eugene Rousseau (for more see the Complete list of saxophonists). The alto saxophone is included in classical music more often than the tenor, and many concertos for alto exist. The alto is used commonly in concert, jazz, funk, blues, pop, marching bands, and rock music.As with all instruments, the saxophone does require maintenance and cleaning. It stores in its case in three pieces plus a reed and a ligature. The ligature is the clamp that hold the reed in place around the mouthpiece. The reed is the most delicate portion of the instrument. It’s very easy to chip a reed by bumping the mouthpiece on a music stand or clothing. Once a reed is damaged or worn out, it needs to be replaced. Students who are very careful with their reeds will still need several replacement reeds to get them through a year of band.

All reeds are given a rating of strength, “1” through “5”. The lower the number, the softer the reed. In general, the stronger or stiffer reeds are used by advanced players. Teachers have different opinions on the best reed strength for beginners. The most commonly held belief is that beginners should start with a number “2” reed. A number “1” is too soft. Players advance to higher numbers as their performance level and lip muscles develop.

The saxophone is played with the left hand closest to the mouth. The right hand covers the lower keys. Since the saxophone is the only woodwind instrument made of brass, it is capable of very loud sounds by a beginner. With practice, a player can produce a very soft and sweet sound.

The saxophone is a very widely used instrument. They play a critical role in bands, jazz groups and small instrumental groups. It’s a relatively new instrument compared to others. It is especially common to see a number of saxophones of various sizes in jazz groups. Professional jazz saxophonists tend to play more than one saxophone. They may own and perform on the soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones as well as the flute and clarinet.